Slip at Work – A Guide to Claiming Compensation

You might think that it’s just one of those things if you slip at work. However, as employers have a duty of care towards employee safety, if the accident was preventable, you might be entitled to claim compensation for any subsequent injuries. During the course of this guide about claiming compensation for a slip at work, we’ll explore the types of accidents that can occur, when they might result in a compensation payout, what compensation could be awarded and what evidence you could use to strengthen a slip at work claim.

If you’ve been injured because of an accident caused by a spillage, we can help. Simply call our legal advisors now to review your case for free. Your options will be explained and you’ll be told whether your claim appears to be feasible or not. If it does, it could be taken on by one of our accident-at-work solicitors. If that happens, you’ll benefit from a No Win, No Fee service.

For more information on slip-at-work claims, you can:

• Speak to a member of our team on 0333 241 2519.
• Use our live chat service to speak with an online advisor.

For more on what to do if you’ve been injured because of a slip accident at work, read on. If any questions arise along the way, please feel free to call.

What Types of Injuries Can Be Caused by Slipping at Work?

As you’ll read shortly, you could be entitled to claim for anything but the most minor injuries sustained in a slip accident at work. Some of the most common injuries claimed for include:

• Knee, elbow and wrist injuries:
• Broken and fractured bones.
• Soft tissue (ligament, tendon, muscle) injuries.
• Head injuries including concussions.
• Scalds and burns resulting in scarring.
• Back injuries.
• Cuts and lacerations.
• Severe bruising and internal bleeding.

While we might not have included your injury in our list, you might still have grounds to claim compensation if a slip at work has caused you to suffer. Please feel free to get in touch for more information.

Can I Make a Slip at Work Claim?

You might think that employers can’t really do much to stop slipping accidents at work caused by workplace spillages. However, they have a legal duty of care towards the well-being of staff so they must take reasonable steps to prevent slipping accidents wherever possible.

For instance, they could:

• Conduct risk assessments of the workplace to try and spot any hazards.
• Train staff on what to do if a spillage occurs.
• Implement procedures to try and prevent spillages from re-occurring.
• Provide PPE or install safety rails (or similar) where spillages are unavoidable.
• Ensure staff know how to report spillages so that similar problems can be avoided in the future.

These steps could help employers to meet their obligations under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Failure to uphold their duties could mean your employer has been negligent if you slip at work as a result and, could enable you to claim for any subsequent injuries.

As such, you may have grounds to make a slip at work claim caused by a spillage if:

• At the time of your accident, your employer owed you a duty of care.
• A spillage occurred in the last three years because of your employer’s negligence; and
• You were injured from slipping on that spillage.

If you think that your employer is responsible for your slip at work, please call our legal advisors now to see if you could be compensated for your suffering.

What Types of Negligence Can Lead to Slipped at-Work Claims?

Here are some scenarios where employer negligence could result in a spillage accident claim:

• You slipped on spilt drinks in the company’s canteen because the spillage wasn’t cordoned off with warning signs.
• You slipped on an oily or wet surface in a factory that wasn’t cleaned properly due to the employer’s failure to implement regular cleaning schedules.
• You slipped in a workshop where the flooring material was unsuitable for the type of work being conducted, such as a smooth surface in an area prone to spills.
• You slipped on water leaking from the ceiling in a warehouse because the employer had failed to repair the roofing despite knowing about the leak.

These are just a few examples of when a slip at work could result in compensation claims. If you believe your employer has caused you to be injured in a way we’ve not described here, please feel free to call and discuss your options with a specialist.

What Should I Do If I Sustain an Injury from a Slip at Work?

Here are some important steps that you may wish to take if you sustain an injury from a slip at work:

• Tell your employer about what happened.
• Seek medical attention for your injuries.
• Ask for the incident to be logged in the accident report book and request a copy of the report.

Taking these steps can provide important information for your employer so that they can implement measures that prevent a similar slip accident at work in the future. Also, if you decide to claim workplace accident compensation, you’ll already have some of the evidence needed to prove your case.

What Evidence Can Be Used for Slip at Work Claims?

With any type of personal injury claim, you should present evidence to demonstrate how your slip accident at work occurred, who was responsible for it and what injuries you’ve sustained as a result. For slip-at-work claims, this could include:

• Photographs taken at the accident scene ideally showing any spillages or excess water in situ.
• A copy of an accident report form to confirm the date and location of your accident.
• X-rays, scan results and other medical records.
• Information about any potential witnesses in case the claim is contested.
• CCTV footage of the accident where available.
• Pictures of any injuries that are visible.

If you want us to check through any evidence you’ve secured already, please feel free to call our legal advisors now.

How Long Do I Have to Claim Slip at Work Compensation?

You generally have three years from the date of the slip accident at work to claim compensation. This is a requirement of the Limitation Act 1980 and the time limit will normally start on the date of your accident.

However, if you were under 18 at the time of the accident, the three-year period doesn’t start until your 18th birthday, giving you until you’re 21 to make a claim. Additionally, if the injured party lacks the mental capacity to manage their own affairs, there may be no time limit until capacity is regained, or a litigation friend might make the claim on their behalf.

Crucially, if your claim is made outside of the 3 years, it could become statute-barred. Legally, this may enable your employer to refuse to compensate you. Therefore, it’s always worth starting the claims process at your earliest opportunity.

What Compensation Can I Claim for a Slip Accident at Work?

The level of compensation paid for a slip accident at work is largely based on the amount of suffering caused.

The first head of loss that might contribute to any payout you receive is called general damages. It covers pain, suffering and loss of amenity. Importantly, both physical and psychological injuries could be compensated for here.

To put a value on your claim, your solicitor may refer to the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) after they’ve read your medical records. They might also arrange for an independent medical specialist to assess your prognosis to get a full understanding of your suffering.

Another head of loss, special damages, might also be appropriate if you’ve been affected financially by your slip in the workplace. For instance, you could receive compensation for:

• The cost of physiotherapy or other medical expenses.
• Travel costs i.e. to cover fuel and parking for hospital visits.
• Lost income and future loss of earnings.
• The cost of adapting your home if the changes will make it easier for you to cope with any permanent injuries.
• Care and support at home costs.

If you’d like to find out how much compensation you could claim for a slip accident at work, please feel free to call our legal advisors now.

Can I Start a Slipped at Work Claim if I’m Not a Full-Time Employee?

Whatever type of worker you are, your employer will have a duty of care towards your safety at work.

That means you could start a slipped-at-work claim if you’re a zero-hours worker, agency worker, self-employed contractor, consultant, subcontractor or full-time member of staff.

So long as you can prove that you were injured because of a spillage, excess water or other types of slip hazards at work caused by employer negligence, we could help you start a claim. Please call now to learn more about your options.

Do You Need a Work Injury Solicitor for Slip at Work Claims?

It is possible to take on legal action against your employer yourself. However, they probably won’t deal with your claim themselves. It is more likely to end up with their insurers which means your claim may be contested. Even if it’s not, the insurer might try to limit how much compensation they payout.

Therefore, you might want to take on legal representation from a solicitor with experience of accident at work claims. Their legal skills and training could be the difference between winning and losing your case.

Crucially, our solicitors offer a No Win, No Fee service for any case taken on. That means that before a slip at work claim proceeds, you’ll need to sign a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA).

This type of contract means that you only pay your solicitor for their work if you are paid compensation. If that happens, up to 25 per cent of your settlement will be used to cover your solicitor’s success fee.

If the claim fails, you won’t have paid anything for your solicitor’s work. Please get in touch if you’d like to claim compensation for a slip accident at work but need more information.

Will the Claim Go to Court?

We would say that the vast majority of accident work claims are settled amicably out of court. In fact, only a small percentage of claims require any type of court intervention and that’s usually only needed if:

• Liability for your slip at work cannot be agreed upon; or
• A settlement offer to cover your injuries is too low.

If your solicitor strongly believes that you slipped at work because your employer was negligent, they could book a court hearing as a last resort.

How Long Do Work Injury Claims Take?

How long your claim takes to be settled will depend on a few factors. They include:

• The type of injuries sustained.
• Whether those injuries have healed or will cause long-term problems.
• Whether your employer accepts that they caused your slip accident at work.

In straightforward claims, compensation could be paid out in 4 to 5 months. However, claims linked to more serious injuries at work might take up to a year or even longer so that the full extent of your suffering can be properly understood.

Contacting Us About a Slip at Work Claim

To find out more about your chances of being compensated for a slip accident at work, you can:

• Call 0333 241 2519 to speak to a member of our team.
• Use our live chat service to speak with an online advisor.

We provide no-obligation legal advice as part of a free initial consultation about your slip at work. You won’t be pressured into proceeding with legal action but if you decide to start a slip-at-work claim and one of our accident-at-work solicitors can help, you’ll benefit from a No Win, No Fee service.